Description
Classic southern‑style chicken fried steak smothered in creamy gravy
Ingredients
- 4 cube steaks (about 1/3 lb each)
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper, divided
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt or sea salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons TABASCO® Sauce (original)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- — **For the gravy** —
- 4 tablespoons grease (from frying)
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 to 3 cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In another shallow bowl, whisk together buttermilk, TABASCO® Sauce, and eggs. Set aside.
- Pat cube steaks dry with paper towels. Season both sides with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Let sit 5 minutes, then pat dry again.
- Dredge each steak in the seasoned flour mixture (shake off excess), then dip into the buttermilk‑egg mixture (let excess drip), then dredge again in the flour mixture.
- Place the breaded steaks on a sheet pan or rack and gently press remaining flour mixture into them so they’re fully coated. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 225–250 °F (≈ 107–121 °C) to keep steaks warm later.
- Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) over medium‑high heat. Use enough oil to about ¼ inch deep.
- Test oil by dropping a bit of breading: it should sizzle but not smoke (≈ 320‑340 °F). Fry two steaks at a time for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. Don’t flip more than once.
- Remove fried steaks and drain on paper towels. Transfer to warmed oven to keep crisp.
- To make gravy: leave skillet drippings (don’t scrape clean). Add back 4 Tbsp of grease to hot skillet. Whisk in 4 Tbsp flour and cook 2–3 minutes until golden.
- Slowly drizzle in the milk + cream mixture (about 2½ cups), whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to simmer, cook until smooth and creamy, about 5–7 minutes. If too thick, add more milk.
- Season gravy with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Serve the chicken fried steak topped with the creamy gravy. Enjoy with mashed potatoes and vegetables.
Notes
- Do not overcrowd the pan when frying — fry only two steaks at a time to maintain crispiness.
- Let the flour cook briefly before adding liquids in the gravy to remove raw flour taste.
- If the gravy becomes too thick, thin it with extra milk.
- Leftover steaks should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Calories: 956 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 472 mg
- Fat: 58 g
- Saturated Fat: 28 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 51 g
- Cholesterol: 280 mg
